We Start Again
by ajfankeith
Summary: Aaron and Robert begin rebuilding their life together. Contains some adult content.
1. Chapter 1

We Start Again – Chapter 1

 _-O-_

 _DISCLAIMER: I am not connected to Emmerdale and its characters, which belong to ITV_

 _-O-_

The heat wave had lasted for days. The grass on the village green was parched, the River Emm was drying up and the flagstones in front of the Woolpack could be used for frying eggs.

Robert Sugden was an intelligent, well-informed man and it had crossed his mind about global warming. A professor in a television interview the previous night had been talking about sunspots and unusual solar flares, but Robert had paid little attention to it as he had been distracted by a scantily-clad dish of a man who had captured his heart and now shared his life. However, little snippets of information from the TV programme came back to him as he walked along the main street in the direction of the scrap yard. He was wearing light linen trousers and his blue shirt, but no jacket due to the heat.

Walking across the yard, Robert noticed that his husband had propped open the door of the cabin, for ventilation. It was hardly surprising on such a boiling hot day. As he entered the cabin, he saw Aaron sitting at his desk wearing nothing but shorts and a singlet. "You look cool," he remarked.

Aaron fixed Robert with his amazing blue eyes, "Sarcasm never was your strong point," he sneered.

Robert chuckled, even when he paid a compliment to his other half, Aaron would take it as an attempt at disapproval.

"I'm serious," Robert sought to reassure Aaron that he was being sincere, "you look great: it shows off your amazing body. I want to jump over this desk and have my wicked way with you."

"You can if you want an audience," Aaron realised that his husband was flirting with him and his face broke into a big cheesy grin, "Adam is due back at any second and, in any case, it's far too hot for that sort of thing."

"It's never too hot for that sort of thing!" Robert, as always, was turned on. But he decided that this was neither the time nor the place for his attempts at seduction. However, he made a mental note to continue the train of thought later.

Just then, as if on cue, Adam clumped up the steps and into the cabin, "Alright, boys?" he chirruped.

Robert grinned at his brother-in-law and drew the wrong conclusion about his happy mood, "Have you made the peace with my sister?"

"No such luck, Vic's not going to forgive me any time soon: she could have coped with me not being able to be a dad, but me running back to Vanessa was the last straw," Adam studied Robert carefully, "I'm sorry it turned out that you weren't a dad. I still can't believe that Rebecca tried to trick you like that. It was a pretty mean thing to do," Adam knew that Robert was still reeling from Rebecca's admission that she had lied about the father of her baby and it had turned out to be Ross' child.

"That's okay," Robert replied, "we weren't ready to start a family anyway," he nodded towards Aaron.

Adam knew that Robert was putting on a brave face. Robert had started to come round to the idea of being a father, but it had been cruelly snatched away. He understood perfectly as he himself was unable to father children.

"Anyway," Adam changed the subject, "it's pretty quiet here today and it's too hot to do much anyway. I can man the fort now I'm back, why don't you two take the day off and go and do something?"

"Like what?" Aaron had a quizzical look on his face.

"Go and spend a day in the country and catch a few rays," Adam suggested, "as long as you wear factor fifty so you don't get sunburn."

Robert looked at his husband, "Shall we?"

Aaron mulled it over for all of two seconds, "Well, it beats sitting in a stuffy office, or the cab of a lorry, or a sweltering scrap yard," he looked at Adam, "do you want to come?"

Adam quickly made his excuses, "Nah! You're alright, ta. I've got some paperwork to catch up on. Anyway, the idea was for you two to have some 'alone time'. I don't want to be like a spare wotsit at a wedding."

They all laughed.

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After popping home to Mill Cottage so that Robert could change into a t-shirt and shorts and after packing a picnic hamper, Aaron and Robert drove off into the countryside in Robert's car. They found a quiet spot under some trees by a lake and decided to have their picnic on a grassy bank overlooking the water, under the shade of a giant oak tree. It was a lovely place and they both felt at ease.

"I thought you'd never want to go on a picnic ever again after last time," Robert remarked as he unloaded the contents of the hamper onto the blanket that they had spread on the ground beneath them.

"Why do you say that?" Aaron enquired.

"Well, you didn't seem that enthusiastic the last time. I remember you turning your nose up at the thought of cucumber sandwiches."

"We didn't have cucumber sandwiches," Aaron looked at Robert and licked his lips, "we did, however, have something else in the cricket pavilion!"

Robert remembered the incident, which had led to them swapping clothes afterwards, "There isn't a cricket pavilion for miles."

Aaron looked around, "There's nobody around for miles either," he winked suggestively and stretched himself across to Robert so that he could plant a kiss on his husband's lips.

With a quick movement, Robert deftly removed Aaron's singlet and Aaron pulled at Robert's shirt, leaving them both bare-chested. They kissed again and the kiss held and deepened. At one time, Aaron would never have dreamed of having sex al-fresco, but he loved Robert with a passion and could not say no to him. Besides, he now delighted in new experiences and was willing to make love to his gorgeous husband, anywhere and at any time!

It did not take long for them to strip completely naked and their arousal was obvious. Their lips locked as they fondled and caressed each other. Aaron was on his back and moved to lift his legs up into a submissive position, but Robert had other ideas on this summer's afternoon. Straddling Aaron's fit body he sat on Aaron's midriff, easing himself backwards to accept his husband's rampant weapon inside him. He groaned as he stretched to allow entrance to Aaron's swollen member. As he started to bounce up and down he began moaning, "Oh Aaron, I love it!"

Aaron could tell that he was giving his partner extreme pleasure and he thrust upwards as Robert slid downwards to get all of Aaron's hardness inside him. Robert knew that it was a feeling that no woman could ever give him and he felt connected to his husband in the most intimate way possible.

Robert bent down so that his lips could once more lock onto Aaron's and their tongues duelled as they kissed. From their very first time in the garage, when they first met, they had felt a connection which was always based on more than merely lust. Over time, their sex sessions took on a new meaning. They realised that their compatibility had developed into something stronger: they had fallen in love. Once both had acknowledged that fact, their lovemaking became more intense and more meaningful. It gave their coupling an added dimension.

They climaxed simultaneously and Robert rolled off of Aaron. They were panting heavily from both the exertion and the heat as they cuddled each other. They gazed into each other's eyes and a silent communication passed between them. They were so in sync that they did not need words. After a while, they decided that they had better make themselves decent, just in case someone came along, so they pulled their pants and shorts back on. The activity had made them hungry so they tucked into their picnic.

As Robert munched on a sausage roll which had been raided from their fridge at home along with scotch eggs and smoked salmon, he spoke, "I think it's about time we talked about getting married."

"We are married," was Aaron's sardonic reply.

"Not officially," Robert was being pedantic, "I want to make it legal and binding."

"Do we need to go to all that bother for a piece of paper?"

Robert was suddenly worried: he felt that he might be pushing Aaron further than he was willing to go, "What's the matter? Is it that you still don't trust me to stay faithful? I promise you, Aaron, I'm completely yours and that's all I'll ever be. You are my world and I'd never put that at risk again."

It always touched Aaron when Robert was so obviously being sincere. He leaned in for another kiss which Robert eagerly accepted and returned.

"Okay," Aaron said as their lips parted, "I know you're the only one for me, Robert. There's nothing to stop us tying the knot...again."

"Shall we change our names this time?" Robert asked.

"I thought we'd decided to keep our own names?"

Robert could sense a little resistance to his proposal, "I thought you liked it when I called you Mr Sugden?"

Aaron did not want to give Robert the wrong impression, "Yeah, I did. But I've only just got used to being called Dingle, that's all."

Robert had a bright idea, "Well, how about being double-barrelled?"

Aaron giggled "Is that some kind of weird sexual practice?"

Robert also chuckled: his husband's lack of comprehension was so cute and endearing to him, "No! I mean using both our names, hyphenated: like Sugden-Dingle."

"I see...although it should be me first, Dingle-Sugden."

"Okay, fine by me! As long as we are properly joined together as a family, that's all that matters to me," Robert smiled and Aaron's lips crashed into his again.

It was after they broke the kiss that they noticed something strange: a smoky haze was drifting across the lake.

"That's odd," Robert remarked, "it was supposed to be fine all day."

"Look over there!" Aaron exclaimed as he pointed towards the woods in the distance to their right. A plume of thick, dark smoke was rising from that direction.

"Oh my God!" Robert had seen the smoke, "I don't believe it: it must be a forest fire!"

The couple quickly gathered their belongings and rushed back to the spot where Robert's car was parked. They clambered in and Robert drove off down the narrow road. Trees lined the road on both sides. When they rounded a curve, they could see the fire raging to their right, but there was a fork in the road ahead, so Robert took the left one to try to avoid the rapidly approaching flames. After a short distance the road became a dirt track and after about a mile, it came to an abrupt end. In front of them was an old Druid's stone circle, a tourist attraction in the area.

"It doesn't go anywhere...we're trapped!" Aaron's panicked voice worried Robert. He suddenly had déjà-vu; he had last seen Aaron in this state when they were trapped underwater after the road crash.

"We can't drive any further and we can't go back the way we came, but don't worry," Robert was desperate to calm Aaron's nerves, "we'll just have to make our way back home on foot...come on!"

They climbed out of the car and Robert led the way. He had spotted a gap in the trees to the left of the stone circle and, grasping Aaron's hand in his own, he pulled his husband with him as they set off in that direction.

They ran as fast as they could, but the smoke was getting thicker in the air and they could hear the crackling of burning wood and that sound seemed to be getting closer as they made their bid for freedom.

Suddenly, a fun day out had turned into a nightmare.


	2. Chapter 2

We Start Again – Chapter 2

 _-O-_

 _DISCLAIMER: I am not connected to Emmerdale and its characters, which belong to ITV_

 _-O-_

Forest ranger Sid Jarvis caught sight of something at the side of the road. He was driving along the Hotten to Calderdale main road in his Land Rover in response to an outbreak of a forest fire. Smoke was billowing from the fire some distance away so his vision was somewhat obscured. Although he was in a hurry, he pulled over when he realised that a dark-haired young man was attempting to revive a fair-haired man on the grass verge by the side of the road.

Sid climbed out of his vehicle and approached them, just as the blond man roused, coughed and spluttered. Aaron looked at Sid, who was brown-haired, well-built and probably around forty years old.

"Is he alright?" Sid enquired as he looked at Robert sprawled on the ground.

"We were running away from the fire," Aaron explained, gesticulating towards the burning trees hundreds of metres away from them, across open ground, "I think my husband inhaled some smoke and he collapsed."

"I see," Sid crouched down to a semi-conscious Robert, "Are you okay, fella?"

Robert coughed again and seemed to be having trouble in catching his breath when he tried to reply.

"Right, I'll call an ambulance, I won't be a jiffy!" Sid went back to his vehicle and made a call. He then returned to the pair with an emergency oxygen mask and he put the mask over Robert's face, "They're on their way. Here, this will help you breathe. What were you doing in the woods? Visiting the stone circle, were you?"

"No," Aaron replied, "we were having a picnic near the lake. Suddenly we saw the smoke and tried to drive out of the woods, but we got trapped. We had to abandon our car and try to escape on foot."

"Well, you managed to get away from the immediate danger. Where did you leave your car?"

"By the stone circle," Aaron explained, "we couldn't get any further as the track petered out."

"Hmmm," Sid looked deep in thought, "well, I don't suppose your car will survive, but at least you are safe, so that's the main thing. You'll be hearing a helicopter soon as they are going to try to contain the fire by drenching it. I suggest getting your husband to the hospital as he needs to be checked over. I've got to be on my way: are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine, I didn't seem to be affected by the smoke so much," Aaron studied Sid for a moment, he was good-looking and friendly, "you didn't sound surprised when I said Robert was my husband."

Sid chuckled, "It doesn't bother me...and it wouldn't do, as I'm gay too!"

"Oh!"

"My boyfriend Joe is a paramedic. It might even be him that gets the call to attend to Robert here. Anyway, I've got to get going: take care lads."

"Thanks for your help," Aaron said as Sid departed.

Aaron held Robert's hand, "You're gonna be fine, babe: help is on its way."

Robert pulled the mask from his face and managed a weak smile before having another coughing fit. Aaron gently put the mask back to help Robert breathe again.

After ten minutes, Aaron and Robert heard the ambulance siren and knew that they would be safe.

xxxxxxxxxx

In the hospital, Aaron waited nervously while the medical staff checked on Robert. He had called Victoria to let her know what had happened to her brother and she was on the way.

Eventually, the doctor let Aaron in to see Robert. He was sitting up and taking notice.

Aaron grasped Robert's hand and spoke, "You do get us into some scrapes, don't you?"

Robert smiled, his husband meant everything to him and he was so relieved that he had survived their latest ordeal, "Are you okay?"

Aaron was touched, Robert seemed more concerned for his welfare than his own, "I'm fine. You must have breathed in more smoke than I did...being at a higher altitude."

"You are an idiot!" Robert chuckled but started coughing again, "I'm parched," he croaked. Aaron picked up a glass of water with a straw in it and gently helped guide it to Robert's lips so that he could take a sip.

"Thanks, babe," Robert was grateful that Aaron was with him. He knew in that moment that Aaron's love was unconditional and they would both literally die for each other.

The door opened and Victoria appeared, "I hear you've been in the wars!" she said as she crossed the room and bent to kiss Robert's cheek.

Before Robert could respond, Vic's phone rang and she answered it, "Yes, this is Victoria Barton. The hospital? I'm in the hospital just now as a matter of fact, visiting my brother. What? Yes, Adam's my husband. Oh my God! I'll be right there."

Both Aaron and Robert looked at Victoria with quizzical expressions.

"That was a nurse here in the hospital. Adam's been brought into A and E. They got my number from his mobile phone. I'll have to go and find out what's going on."

"I'll come with you," Aaron was concerned for his best friend. He looked at Robert.

Robert picked up on Aaron's unwillingness to leave him, even without him saying anything, "It's okay, babe, you go and see how Adam is. I'll still be here when you get back."

Aaron kissed Robert, "I'll be back as soon as I can," he looked at his husband tenderly.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine...just go...and let me know what's up with Adam."

Aaron and Vic made their way to the accident and emergency department, although they were unable to see Adam as he had been taken straight to intensive care. It transpired that he had been driving the scrap lorry on the same road that Aaron and Robert had been rescued from, but not a lot more information could be obtained as Adam was unconscious so he had not been able to furnish any details.

"I don't understand it," Aaron said as he and Vic sat in a waiting area, "They said that he was rescued from the truck, but we left him back at the yard when we went out. What was he doing on that road?"

"Maybe he got a call to go out to a client," Vic surmised, "you know how he's always chasing business."

Aaron was deep in thought: then he spoke again, "They reckon he got caught up in the forest fire. How weird is that? I can't believe all three of us came to grief," Aaron's lips quivered as he spoke and Vic could tell that he was close to tears.

Vic took Aaron's hand in her own, "It must have been a harrowing ordeal. Thank God you managed to get out of the woods. The doctor said the Robert will be fine once the effects of the smoke wear off."

"I suppose I ought to get back to my husband, but I don't want to leave Adam."

"You go!" Vic reassured him, "you can keep hubby company. I'll let you know if I hear anything about Adam."

Aaron hugged Vic, "I hope he's okay. He's my bro."

Vic hugged him back, "I know."

When Aaron returned to Robert, he was sitting out in a chair and was anxious to know about Adam.

"He's in intensive care," explained Aaron as he pulled up another chair to sit near his husband, "seems he was on that road we stumbled out on."

"I thought he was still back at base?"

"That's what I said to Vic, he must have gone out in the truck. Anyway, you're out of bed, which must be a good sign."

Robert reached out and took Aaron's hand in his own, "Thanks for saving my neck, babe."

Aaron leaned in for a brief kiss, "You told me I was your world. Well, you're my world too. If you're in trouble, I will save you. I meant it when we made our vows to each other."

"So did I," Robert smiled, "and I'll mean them even more when we say them a second time."

They kissed before Aaron spoke again, "I think they call it renewing of vows or a blessing, don't they?"

"Yes," Robert continued to grip Aaron's hand, "it will be a new start, we will be even stronger than before. I am more in love with you now than I've ever been. You're the one for me, Aaron...the only one...and you always will be."

"I so want to be properly married to you, Robert. To be happy...you are all I want."

"I _WILL_ make you happy Aaron. You've been hurt enough in your life and I'll _NEVER_ let you be hurt again, I swear."

Aaron smiled. He knew that Robert was sincere and that was all he needed.

They were interrupted by the doctor. He had come to check on Robert's progress. Aaron wondered if the doctor wanted him to leave the room, but the doctor assured him that he could stay. After examining Robert and asking him how he felt, the doctor discharged Robert to his husband's care.

Aaron helped Robert to get dressed and then they made their way to see Vic and check on Adam. They found her sitting where Aaron had left her, in the waiting area. She jumped up when she saw her brother and hugged him.

"How's my brother-in-law?" Robert asked.

"He's still in intensive care," Vic looked tearful, "he's not going to make it, is he?" she burst into tears and Robert cuddled her.

"Hey! Where's that come from? Adam's a fighter, he'll make it."

Aaron was silent. Memories of his and Adam's long friendship flashed through his mind and he couldn't bear the thought of losing his 'brother from another mother'.

"But, he doesn't know I still love him. I was going to suggest that we give it another go and now it's too late," Vic wailed.

"Come on, Vic," Robert tried to comfort his sister, "you'll have plenty of time to tell him when he comes round."

Just then, a young doctor appeared and looked at Vic.

"How is he?" Vic asked.

"Mrs Barton, your husband suffered multiple injuries in the crash. We've managed to stop the bleeding and he's stable, but it was touch and go for a while."

Vic, Aaron and Robert all flinched.

"However," the doctor continued, "he's now responding to treatment. We've put him in an induced coma to help him recover."

"Can we see him?" Robert asked.

"You can," the doctor replied, "but don't expect too much just yet, until he wakes up."

The three of them were led to Adam's bedside. He seemed to be sleeping like a baby. He had drip-feeds, an oxygen mask on his face and was bandaged on his torso, arms and legs.

The three of them didn't know what to say, so they just pulled up chairs and sat in silence, watching over him. If love would help him recover, then he had all that he needed from the three people closest to him.

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Vic would not leave her husband's side but she told Robert and Aaron to go home. She knew that they had both been through a terrible ordeal and needed their rest, plus there was nothing they could do for Adam until he woke up. Aaron, especially, was reluctant to leave, but Vic assured him that she would call him as soon as there was any news.

The hours passed and Vic kept a vigil at Adam's bed-side. She would sometimes talk to him, telling him that she loved him, but she did not know whether he could hear her or not. She was very tired and would doze off in her chair occasionally. As much as she tried to keep her eyes open, she had to succumb to her sleepiness sometimes. It was during one of her moments of slumber that a machine beside Adam's bed suddenly started to make a loud noise. Vic came to with a start, just as a nurse came rushing into the room.

"What's happening?" the panic in Vic's voice was obvious.

A doctor then dashed in and asked Vic to leave so that the medical staff could attend to Adam.

Vic waited outside in the corridor, fearing the worst.


	3. Chapter 3

We Start Again – Chapter 3

 _-O-_

 _DISCLAIMER: I am not connected to Emmerdale and its characters, which belong to ITV_

 _-O-_

Robert and Aaron were finding that sleep was difficult as the high temperature was making it uncomfortable, even at night, plus they were both worried about Adam. But after escaping the forest fire, they were exhausted, so they managed to get a few hours sleep.

In the morning, Aaron left Robert dozing in bed and, dressed in nothing but boxer briefs and carpet slippers, he padded down the spiral staircase to the kitchen. He toasted some bread, spread butter and marmalade on a couple of slices, then flicked on the TV and sat down to watch. A morning local news programme was running and he was about to change channels when something caught his eye. A camera on a helicopter was filming the forest fire that he and Robert had escaped from and as the camera filmed the scene of devastation it passed over a damaged, abandoned truck which had obviously careered off of the road.

"Oh my God!" Aaron exclaimed as he recognised his scrap-yard vehicle.

Just then, Robert appeared, yawning and also just in his pants. He had heard Aaron's gasp, "What's up?" he asked.

"Look!" Aaron said as he pointed at the screen and pressed the 'rewind live TV' button on the remote control.

Robert surveyed the scene, "So that's both my car and the truck that are write-offs. Just as well our insurance covers them both."

Aaron pointed to the kitchen, "There's toast if you want it, babe."

"Okay, ta!" Robert bent to kiss Aaron and then went to fetch his breakfast.

The news moved on to a new topic and Aaron was going to change channels when Robert stopped him, "Leave it on, gorgeous."

"Okay," Aaron replied as he dropped the remote control back on the table.

Robert sat next to Aaron with his toast and he was interested in the next news item. The announcer was showing pictures of fires breaking out all over Europe and then a meteorological expert was being interviewed.

"Many areas are now tinder dry, both in the UK and in Europe," the expert explained, "the forecast is for even hotter weather and we have already seen record temperatures. The sun is going through a phase we've never seen before and I'm afraid the solar flares that we are seeing at the moment are causing much higher temperatures than we have been used to here on Earth. If this carries on, vast areas could be scorched and there will not be enough water."

"He's a right barrel of laughs, isn't he?" Aaron mocked.

"He knows what he's talking about though," Robert replied, but did not comment further as he was still watching and listening.

"You make it sound like the end of the world," the announcer said.

"It is the end of the world as we know it," the expert replied, "Crops are decimated, the polar ice caps are melting faster than ever before which means the sea levels are rising, while fresh water is evaporating away, causing problems not only for crops, but for people and livestock too."

"We don't want people to panic though, do we?" the announcer tried to be a calming influence.

"No, of course not," the expert realised that his comments might be seen as scaremongering, "but the public need to be aware of the situation so that they are sensible and stay safe when outside in extreme temperatures, plus conserve water where possible."

Before Aaron and Robert could discuss the news item further, Robert's mobile phone rang. He had left it on the bedside table so he sprinted up the stairs to answer it. A short while later he appeared downstairs again as Aaron was putting the breakfast things in the sink. Aaron looked at him and could tell something was amiss straight away.

"What's up?" Aaron was worried.

"That was Vic," Robert took hold of Aaron in his arms to steady both their nerves, "Adam's taken a turn for the worse, she wants us to get to the hospital as soon as we can."

They dressed themselves in lightening time and Aaron drove them to the hospital, he was on tenterhooks all the way and was worried sick about his best mate. When they arrived at the hospital, they found Vic in the waiting area.

"How is he?" Robert's face was etched with concern.

"He's rallied," Vic said with tears in her eyes, "the doctors said he actually flat-lined at one point, but they got him back. I think an internal bleed started again but they reckon they've cured that. I thought we'd lost him!"

Robert hugged his sister tightly, "Don't worry Sis, he's in safe hands...and we're here now."

The doctor appeared and spoke, "Mrs Barton, your husband is stable again. You can go in to see him now. He's sleeping, but he could wake up at any time. We're going to let him come round naturally."

Vic, Aaron and Robert resumed their previous positions by Adam's bedside. This time, instead of sitting in silence, they chatted to each other and also spoke to Adam, in case he could hear them. Vic held Adam's hand and rubbed it with her thumb.

After about an hour, Adam opened his eyes.

Vic was quick to speak to him, "Hey, babe, we've been worried about you. How are you feeling?"

With his free hand, Adam pulled the oxygen mask from his face, "Where am I?"

"You're in hospital," Vic replied, "you've been in some sort of accident. But you're safe now. Look who's here!" She gesticulated towards Aaron and Robert.

Adam turned his head to look at them and smiled.

"Hey, bro," Aaron said, tenderly, "you do know how to give us a fright, don't you."

Adam did not answer: he still seemed a little disorientated.

"I don't know why you're lazing about here," Robert also spoke in a soft voice, "you've got to get yourself organised to be our best man."

Adam looked at Vic again, "What are you doing here? I thought you'd given up on me."

Vic squeezed Adam's hand, "Don't be daft. You're my husband and I love you. Where else would I be?"

Robert decided that husband and wife should be left to chat in private for a while. He looked at Aaron, "Come on, babe, let's get ourselves a drink from the machine."

Aaron took the hint and they left Vic with Adam.

"I hope that Vic and Adam patch things up," Aaron said as he and Robert sat in the waiting area with their cups of coffee.

"I think they'll be okay," Robert replied, "we've all just been reminded that life's too short to hold grudges forever. None of us knows what tomorrow holds, what with our experience in the woods, Adam's accident and global warming or whatever it is."

"I think we should get married as soon as possible then," Aaron remarked, "I want to be your husband, properly, before the world ends."

Robert reached out and squeezed Aaron's hand in his own, "There's nothing I want more. If the world does come to an end, I want you by my side...for all eternity."

After drinking their coffee, Aaron and Robert returned to Adam and Vic and were heartened to see that the couple were all smiles.

"You look pleased with yourself," Robert looked at Adam.

Adam was beaming, even though he was still groggy, "Am I dreaming? Or has this lovely lady just agreed to take me back?"

"That's mint, bro," Aaron looked at his best mate and could not contain his delight. He pulled Vic into an embrace.

"Congratulations!" Robert shook Adam's hand, gently so as not to hurt him.

Aaron turned his attention back to Adam, "So, how come you ended up trashing the scrap truck?"

Adam looked sheepish, "I'm sorry, bro. I guess I've cost the business some serious dosh now."

"Don't be soft. We're insured and it can be replaced...but you can't," he gripped Adam's hand after Robert let go of it, "I'd rather have you alive and well, you are way more important than the business. How did it happen anyway?"

"I don't really know for sure," Adam tried to recall the events leading up to the crash, "I got a call from a guy in Calderdale, asking if we were interested in some lead piping. As it was quiet, I decided to lock up and take the truck out to investigate. I never got there. I was driving along the road, near the forest, when all this thick black smoke suddenly engulfed me. It was so quick that I barely had time to react. I couldn't see where I was going, but my memory goes blank there. Next thing I knew, I woke up here."

"It was a forest fire," Robert filled in some missing details for Adam, "me and Aaron got trapped in the woods and we had to leave my car behind. It's probably toast by now."

"No way!" Adam exclaimed, "Are you okay?"

"Robert breathed in a lot of smoke, but he's alright now," Aaron explained, "but I escaped practically unscathed. Anyway, don't you worry about us: you just concentrate on getting well again: like Robert said before, we need you back to full health to be best man at our official wedding."

Adam grasped Aaron's hand and shook it, "Man! I can't tell you how happy I am that you're getting married...properly. What with making up with my gorgeous wife, it will give me just the incentive I need to get better."

xxxxxxxxxx

As soon as Adam was fit enough, Aaron and Robert arranged their wedding at the church. Harriet, without hesitation, agreed to officiate.

On the night before the wedding, Aaron and Robert were saying goodbye at the Mill. Robert had arranged to stay at Vic and Adam's on the eve of the big day.

"I don't know why you're going to all this bother," Aaron was in one of his uncompromising moods, "I know it's traditional to stay apart on the night before, but we are unofficially married already!"

Robert drew Aaron into a tight hug, "It's just for one night. I don't want to jinx it after all we've been through in the past."

Aaron kissed Robert and they held their foreheads together, "I know, it's just that I'm going to be lonely all alone in that big bed tonight. I'm going to miss you."

"I'm going to miss you too," Robert whispered, "But we've got the rest of our lives to make up for it."

"I just saw the weather forecast," Aaron said, "looks like torrential rain tomorrow. Can you believe it, all these weeks of blistering heat and we have to pick tomorrow to get hitched."

"It might be more comfortable to wear our wedding suits if the rain cools things down," Robert was trying to see the advantages.

They kissed again. The kiss lingered and neither of them wanted to let go, but they could not stand there all night so Robert reluctantly pulled away and opened the front door, "Until tomorrow then, Mr Dingle-Sugden."

Mr Dingle-Sugden. The name was new to Aaron and took him slightly by surprise. But it was a very nice one.

The next morning, all the Dingles, Bartons and Sugdens, plus other invited guests, gathered at the church. It was still hot but, as predicted in the weather forecast, dark clouds were gathering in the distance. Everyone was sitting in the church, waiting for the ceremony.

Robert arrived first and waited nervously for his husband-to-be. Vic gave him an encouraging smile and a nod.

Then, Aaron and Adam arrived and Aaron took Robert's breath away. He had never seen his partner look so handsome before. He was dressed in a light grey suit with white shirt and a grey and black patterned tie. Robert himself had opted for a dark blue suit with light blue shirt and a blue and white tie. They were both glowing and each thought that the other one looked stunning.

As Harriet began the service, a huge clap of thunder nearly drowned out her opening speech. She continued on regardless, even though the thunder continued to rumble throughout the proceedings.

Harriet asked Robert to place the ring on Aaron's finger. Adam passed the ring to Robert and he took Aaron's hand on his own. As he slipped it on, he made his vows, "Aaron Dingle, I give you this ring as a sign of my undying love, respect and devotion. I have found in you a lover, a soul-mate and a life partner. We have been through so much together to get to this point. But I have no doubt that we will make it together. I promise to love you and only you. No one comes close."

Adam then passed another ring to Aaron with the ghost of a wink. Aaron took Robert's hand in his own and spoke, "Robert Jacob Sugden, I give you this ring as a sign of my love and commitment. I am yours, I always have been and I always will be. You are my everything and I will always want you by my side. I will cherish the love we have and keep it in my heart forever."

Just as they heard the heavy rain and hail battering down on the roof of the church, Harriet concluded the service, "These two young men, in the presence of God and of their witnesses, have committed themselves to each other for life. They are now legally married in the eyes of the law and, as they have already signed the relevant documents, are now officially known as Aaron and Robert Dingle-Sugden." She looked affectionately at the happy couple, "You may now kiss your groom."

Aaron and Robert embraced and kissed and everyone cheered, just as another huge clap of thunder shook the place. As they filed outside, the guests made a mad dash to the Woolpack, where the reception was to be held. Aaron and Robert paused outside the church. They were getting soaked but they didn't care as they stood on the pathway and embraced and kissed. The storm raged all around them, but the rest of the world did not exist anymore. They were finally united for life. They had weathered so many storms in the past, but this one was easy!


End file.
